Ration



E. S. STIMPSON.

FEELER monow FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-8, I917.

1,328,907, Patented J an. 27,- 1920.

/ 1a 58 r v 35 i2 2 a I m 37 Invenfor; 6km); WW

I awai-fi EDWARD S. STIMISON, OF HOPEDALE, Jl'IASSAGHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 DRAPERQORPO- RATION, 0F HOIEDALE, lr/IASSHIIH SETTS, A CORPORATION MAINE.

FEELER-MO'ITION FOR LOOMS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. STIMPSON, a c1tizen of the United States, residing at Hopedale, county of VVor-cester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler-Motions for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts. 7

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to fee er motions for looms whereby, when the filling in the active shuttle becomes substantially but not quite exhausted, a train. of mechanism is set in operation to effect a change in the condition of the loom. This change may cause replenishment of filling. either by changing the filling carrier or bobbin in the shutt e for one provided with a fresh supply of filling, or by substituting a shuttle with a fresh supply of filling for the one in which substantial exhaustion has been reached. a a t In fceler motions of the side swipe type, the feeler enters the shuttle on each detecting beat of the lay and ascertains the condition of thefi ling. Should it find the filling substantially exhausted, movement is imparted to the feeler in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle or bobbm, and time movement is utilized to initiate filling re-- plenishnient or effect a fresh supply when the shuttle reaches the replenishing side of the loom. In one form of the side swipe feeler, movement longitudinally of the shuttle or bobbin is effected by the frontward push upon the feeler when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, and, in another form, means are provided which, independently of the frontward push, acts upon the feeler tending to move it longitudinally of the shuttle or bobbin. In the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 8, 1917.

is present.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

Serial No. 185,156. '1

This feature of the present inventionis carried into effect in the present instance by a yielding member having a portion to act upon the feeler as it moves frontwardly and cause feeler movement longitudinally of the shuttle, should the filling be substantially exhausted, but adapted to be moved from operative position by frontward movement of the feeler when a working supply of filling It is frequently desirable to. operate the loom for a number of picks without laying filling in the shed, or in other words, without using the shuttle. Under such conditions, it also desirable that the feeler shall not call for achange of fillin when, on a detecting beat of the lay, it fails to find a working supply in the shuttle-box. Another feature of the present invention, therefore. consists in means for moving-the feelerin a direction longitudinally of theshuttle dependent for its action upon frontward movement of the feeler. v

Other important features of theinvention in addition to those stated, as well as novel combinations of parts, will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings showing a simple and efficient practical embodiment of the invention, itbeing understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular means and details illustrated and described, but may be vari' ously changed within the true scope thereof as defined by the claims.

In the drawings portions of a loom containing the present invention to make clear the construction and operation thereof; l

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the feeler and the action of parts when a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle ona detecting beat; M

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that ofFig. 2, but showin the parts in another position when, on a detecting beat, the'fillinghas become substantially exhausted; v

Fig. is an under detail view of a portion of the feeler stand, some of the parts being broken away; and

, l Figure 1 is a perspective view of sufficient member for imparting lateral movement to the feeler when the filling is substantially exhausted.

The loom frame m y be any: Preferred wardly-projecting arm 10, which may be eppro riately designated for purposes of identi ation, as t e actuator, because, by frontward movement of the arm 10 under the conditions to be hereinafter described, filling replenishment is initiated.

feeler or feeler member is appro- Errata! [mounted to enter and feel for the lling m the shuttle on each detecting beat of. the la, and is mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, and also laterally or in a direction longitudinail of the shuttle. To carry out these characteristic features of the feeler, various means may be employed for properly supit, but in the present instance of fie invention, the feeler stand 11 is provirlgd'with a slot 12 through which passes a eecuringebolt 13 whereby the feeler stand 11 may adjustably secured in proper position on an appro riate part of the loomsu ppg'ting frame. he feeler stand 11 is rovi ed with a slot 14, the rear end porion of which is preferably inclined as at 15 for the impose of directin the feeler to proper ehngmposition w en it returns i'egrwardiy a r having been displaced lateraliy on a detecting beat, all of which will more'fully a pear.

The feeler or eeler member 16 may be variously contrived, but in the present instance of the invention, it is formed tubular and provided. with a filling-engaging portlQIl 1.? having teeth or a roughened face 18 of a character to engage the filling in the shuttle and be held by such filling from movement laterally when a proper or working supply of filling is present. The feeler I6 entends frontwardly through a suitable hearing 19 formed on the feeler stand. In the present instance of the invention, this hear ng is preferably formed by a part cast integral with the feeler stand 11 and a cappiece 20, a loose bearing being formed between the parts 19 and 20 to accommodate free movement of the feeler 16 toward and from the front of the loom and also permit it to swing or move laterally under conditions as will presently appear.

Secured to the feeler 16 is a. lug 21 through which the feeler may appropriately s5 and projecting from each side of the 21 are the wing or hearing portions 22 which rest upon the top surface of the feeler stand 11 as the feeler moves lengthwise toward and from the front of the loom. In-

\ terposed between the lug 21 and the front bearing 19, 20 for the feeler is a spring 23 which normally acts to holdv the feeler in its rearward position, substantially as indicated by Fig. 1, but is capable of yielding to permit the feeler to move frontwardly.

Mounted for lateral movement relative to the feeler stand 11 is the slide 24 through which the feeler 16 loosely passes, as best indicated in Figs, 2 and 3. The slide 24 may be supported for sliding movement laterally of the feeler stand 11 in any appropriate manner, but in the present instance of the invention, the feeler stand has risin therefrom the lugs 25 between which the side 24 is received and a cap-piece 26 secured to the In 25 maintains the slide 24 in proper position between its guides. In order that the feeler 16 may have appropriate movement with the slide 24, the lugs 25 are slotted at 27, Figs. 2 and 3'. An appropriate and convenient way of securing the cap-piece 26 to the lugs 25 is by screwbolt 28 and if desired, the cap 26 may have a projecting end portion 29 to overlie the end 30 of the slide 24, Fig. 1.

Extending downwardly from the lug 21 and entering the slot 14 of the feeler stand is the projection 31 which is adapted to en gage the incline or am portion 15 at the rear portion of the slot 14 under the impulse of the feeler spring 23, the construction being such that when the feeler 16 is free to move rearwardly, the spring 23 acting against the lug 21, will move the feeler into its rearward position, the projection 31 at such time riding into the contracted portion of the slot 14 and moving the feeler laterally, if necessary, into proper feeling position. The wings or extensions 22 of the lug 21 are of suificient extent to ride upon the top surface of the feeler stand 11 when the feeler is moved frontwardly and laterally.

The present in ent on contemplates that t e means for giving the fee er its lateral or side s ipe movement in a direction lon itndinal v of the shuttle shall be active on v when the feeler is moved frontwardly on a detect ng beat; and to this end. the present invention provides an arm having a cam portion or incline such that as the fee er moves frontwardly on a detecting beat, the arm will act upon t e feeler due to such frontward movement thereof and if the filling is s b tantially evhausted at such tine. cause the feeler to move longitudinally of the shuttle; but should suflicient filling remain in the shuttle to constitute what ma be termed a working supplv, the roughened or to hed face of the feeler will sink into the filling and hold the feeler from side swipe movement lon itudinally of the shuttle bv the arm as the feeler moves frontwardly.

In the present instance the means for giving the feeler its side swipe movement longitudinally of the shuttle comprises an arm yieldingly held with its inclined portion 33 in the path of a pin 34 movable with the feeler. In the present instance the pin 34 is secured to one of the wings 22 of the lug 21.

The arm 32 and its yielding character may be variously contrived, but in the present in'itance of the invention, it is shown as one end of a coil spring 35 supported by a stud or screw-bolt 36 extending from a support 37 secured to the feeler stand. The screw-bolt or stud 36 has a cap-piece 38 provided with a lug 39 adapted to engage the end 40 of the coil spring 35 and a clamping nut 41 serves to maintain the screw-bolt or stud 36 securely locked from rotative movement. The free end of the spring arm 32 in the pre ent instance of the invention, rests against the side of one of the lugs 25 constituting the guides for the slide 24, and the incline or cam portion 33 is disposed frontwardly and in the path of the pin 34, the construction being such that when the feeler is moved frontwardlv on a detecting beat, the pin 34 will ride along the incline or cam portion 33 of the yielding arm 32, and if filling be substantiallv exhausted at such time, the feeler will be moved laterally or in a direction longitudinallvof the shuttle as it moves frontwardly; but should a working supply of filling yet remain in the shuttle, the toothedor roughened face of the feeler will sink into the filling and prevent lateral movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle so that as the feeler moves frontwardly, the arm 32 is itself moved laterally by the feeler. H

The end 30 of the slide 24 is provided with an o ening to receive the'end of a con nector joining the slide and the filling repleni hing controlling means. The overhangingportion 29 of the cap 26 serves to prevent disengagement of the connector 42 from the slide. Any preferred means may be operated bv the rod 42 to initiate replenishrnent of filling, and the invention is not limited in this re pect; but in the present instance, the rod 42 is shown as connected at 43 to a bell crank lever 44 pivoted at 45 and havingits end 46 underlying the actuator 10, the construction being such that should the yielding arm 32 cause side swipe movement of the feeler as it moves frontwardly on a detecting beat, the bell crank lever 44 would be turned contracloc-kwise, 1, and lift the end of the actuato 10 into the path of an operating member 47 which in the present instance of the invention is shown as a part actuated from the weft hammer or cam follower.

From the construction described as one good form "or embodiment of the present invention, it will be'noted that the means for moving the feeler laterally or longitudinally of the shuttle is dependent for its operative function upon the frontward movement ofthe feeler; and that when the feeler is in its rearward or feeling position it may not be under the stress of said means. Under such circumstances, the spring 23 and the incline 15 cooperating with the pro jection 31 of the feeler lug 21 may be suiii cient to return the feeler to rearward feeling position after a replenishing operation. It may be desirable at times, however, to make sure that the feeler is drawn-laterally back to its feeling position after a replenishing operation, and this will be desirable where the spring arm or member 32 engages the feeler pin 31 earlier in the feelers frontward movement. To this end the actuator 10 may be provided with an incline portion 43 which, as the actuator 10 is moved frontwardly by the operating member 47, after a call fo replenishment, will ride over the end 46 of the bell crank and pull the feeler 16 back to its proper lateral feeling position, so that as the lay retreats, the spring 23 may unerringly place the feeler in its correct rearward feeling position.

By proper relation of the yielding arm and its incline 33 and the feeler pin 34, it

is evident that the time of action of the arm 32 to impart the side swipe movement to the feeler may be made earlier or later in the detecting heat. This is of importance in some cases, especially where the spring 23 is light and it is desirable to give the end of the feeler time tosink into thefilling before the side swipe operating means comes into play. This change in the time of action of the side swipe operating means may readily be effected by changing the position of the incline or cam portion 33. This may be done by placing the cam portion 33 nearer to or farther from the end of the arm 22.

In the illustrated form of the invention, the end of the actuator 10 is shown as pro vided with a shoulder 49, a recess 50 and a shouldered portion 51 cooperating with the head 52 of the operating member 47, and if desired, these parts may all be the same as 7 fully described in the prior application Serial'Number 147,468, filed February 8, 1917,

but the present invention is, of course, not restri ted to these details.

In Fig. 1 the shuttle 53 is shown provided with a bobbin or filling carrier provided with the filling 54, and in order that the feeler may properly enter and feel for the filling in the shuttle, the front wall 55 of the shuttle-box and the front wall56 of the shuttle when in the detecting box, are slotted-as indicated at 57.

In Fig. 2, the action of the parts is'represented when on a detecting beat the feeler finds a working supplyof filling present in all the shuttle, and it will be noted that the pin 34 as it rides along the cam or inclinel ion 33, efiects movement of the arm 32 mto inoperative position; whereas in Fig. 3 it will be noted that the feeler detects substantial exhaustion of the filling so that as the 34 travels along the incline 33 of the arm 32, the feeler is moved laterally in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, and the actuator 10 is, through the intermediate mnnections, placed in operative re lation with the operating member 47, Whereby filling replenishment is initiated. It will be noted that when the feeler is in its feeling or rearward position, the member 32 does not bear against the feeler and only after the feeler has been moved frontwardly to a predetermined point, thereby causing its spring 23 to exert its substantially maximum rearward pressure, does the member 82 start to act. The consequence is that. the spring 23 may be made light and yet cause good holding contact between the feeler and filling before the effect of the laterall moving force is brought into action.

at is claimed is 1. In a feeler motion for looms, the combination of the lay and shuttle-boxes, a filling feeleradapted to enter the shuttle and be moved frontwardly on a detecting beat, means with respect to which the feeler reciprocates oneach detecting beat and positioned to act upon the side of the feeler as it moves frontwardly relative to said means to impart movement thereto longitudinally of. the shuttle when the filling is substantially exhausted and adapted to be moved from its actuating position by the feeler as it moves frontwardly when a working supply of filling is present.

2. In a feeler motion for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom and longitudinally of the shuttle, mechanism positioned by longitudinal movement of the feeler to initiate replenishment of filling, a yielding cam device adapted to act upon the feeler as it moves frontwardly to impart feeler movement longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling is substantially exhausted and to be moved from operative position by frontward movement of the feeler when a working supply of filling is present.

3. In a feeler motion for looms, a feeler stand, a feeler mounted for reciprocating and lateral movements on said stand, means normally disconnected from the feeler and adapted to be engaged thereby when the feeler is moved frontwardly to effect lateral movement of the feeler should the filling be simstantially exhausted on at detecting beat.

4. In a filling feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of the lay, a shuttle, afilling and a filling feeler mechamsm eemgmmg a filling feeler mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, means for holdin the feeler in rearward feeling position an ermitting frontward movement of the fee er, and a laterally movable yielding member having a portion adapted to move the filling en aging end of the feeler len hwise of the s uttle provided the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat and to effect lateral displacing movement of said member by the frontward movement of the feeler should a working supply of filling be present.

5. In a filling feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a fillin feeler mounted for movement toward and rom the front of the loom and to permit the filling engaging end to move longitudinally of the shuttle, a. yielding member having a cam portion for moving the end of the feeler lon itudinally of the shuttle when the filling 1s substantially exhausted on a detectin beat and effecting movement of the yie ding member away from normal position when the end of the feeler is held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle by the filling, and means positioned by movement of the end of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle for operating the filling supply controlling means.

6. In a loom, the combination of a feeler mounted for lengthwise and lateral movements, and a spring having a. deflected portion for givi the feeler lateral movement as it is move lengthwise and adapted to yield when the feeler is held from lateral movement as it is moved lengthwise.

7. In a loom, the combination of a feeler mounted for lengthwise and lateral movements, an arm having a cam portion adapted to act upon the feeler as it is moved lengthwise toward the front of the loom to impart lateral movement to the feeler, and means for supporting the arm to permit lateral movement thereof when lateral movement of the feeler is obstructed as it is moved frontwardly.

8. In a loom, the combination of a feeler mounted for lengthwise and lateral movements, filling supply controlling means operatively connected to the feeler, an arm having a cam portion adapted to act upon the feeler as it is moved lengthwise toward the front of the loom to impart lateral movement to the feeler, and means for supporting the arm to permit lateral movement thereof when lateral movement of the feeler is obstructed as it is moved frontwardly.

9. In filling feeler mechanism, the combination of a filling feeler mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom and to permit its filling engaging end to move longitudinally of the shuttle, filling supply controlling means, and an arm having a cam portion extending into thepath of and I l: apartofthefeeler as it moves frontwardly and adapted to move the filling engaging end of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle, said arm being mounted to permit movement thereof to one side as the part of the feeler passes along the cam portion.

10. In a feeler motion for looms, a feelerstand, a feeler mounted for reciprocating and lateral movements on said stand, means normally disconnected from the feeler When it is in feeling position and adapted to be engaged by the feeler When it has been moved frontwardly to a predetermined point to efi'ect lateral movement of the feeler provided the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

11. In a feeler motion for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted for movements laterally and toward and from the front of the loom, and a'spring having a deflected portion for imparting such lateral movement only after the feeler has been moved frontvvardly to a predetermined point pr0- vided the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

12. In a :t'eeler motion for looms, the combination of a feeler mounted for movements laterally and toward and from the front of the loom, and a spring along Which the ir'eeler moves but that is inefliectual to cause such lateral movement When the feeler is in rearward position and rendered effective when the feeler has been moved frontvvardly to a predetermined extent to cause such lateral movement provided the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD S. STIMPSQN. 

